


Green Paradise

by Lady_of_Winterhell



Category: The Mentalist
Genre: AU, F/M, Jisbon, family fic, my blue haven, some smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:35:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 8,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26654545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_of_Winterhell/pseuds/Lady_of_Winterhell
Summary: My Blue Haven AU where Teresa Lisbon decides she's going to find her happiness--aka Patrick Jane--instead of wallow in a Washington town. Snippets of their lives for five years after Jane kills Red John. This is a birthday present for lorastardust!!
Relationships: Patrick Jane/Teresa Lisbon
Comments: 6
Kudos: 43





	1. Day 21

Twenty-one days of living an absolute, miserable hell. Jane was gone, and they were all under investigation. It’s not like their jobs were on the line; they’d been released from their duties as CBI agents weeks ago. No, the FBI was talking about criminal charges. She’d advised her friends to get lawyers, but she just sat at home with her iPod and whiskey. They hadn’t arrested her yet, but the writing was on the wall.

Nor was it Jane’s fault. No one could’ve predicted there was an entire shadow organization of corrupt cops with the CBI square in the center. Perhaps that’s what made the FBI eye them with such suspicion. Well, that and the fact that they believed her team had aided and abetted Jane killing Thomas McAllister. She gave Jane her car and gun and let him drive off. She could handle whatever came with that. That bastard more than deserved to die. A part of her wished it were possible to kill someone more than once. The hell he wrought on their lives...well, she could only hope now that God would deal with the things he’d done. 

When they’d told her how Jane killed McAllister, she wasn’t surprised. Not really. Only a little pissed that he had actually used her gun. Using her gun had put her on the hook--but at least this way she was the only on the hook. Maybe they’d throw the book at her and send the rest of her former team members home so they could get on with the rest of their lives. She had nothing else now anyway.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jane looked out over the beach near his new home--for a while at least. He supposed he could, and would likely have to, shuffle around a bit. There was no chance the US Government would persuade anyone to remove him from his new enclave. Extradition treaties were a beautiful thing. Nevertheless, he might get bored and want a change of scenery. He would keep his options open.

Unsurprisingly, the first night there, he found sleep incredibly hard. It wasn’t for what had become the usual reasons though. No, the ghosts of Angela and Charlotte had been quiet for three weeks now. Only the happy memories visited him now; they were at rest. Now, the regret he felt for leaving Lisbon holding his bag plagued him. Surely, the FBI would see that she had nothing to do with anything. They would let her go, but that didn’t solve the other issue plaguing him. He missed her. More than a few times, he’d wished he could tell her a new fact he’d learned about his new home. 

On the second sleepless night, he took out a pen and paper. He resolved he would write to her. He both had plenty to say and nothing to say at all. It didn't matter. He could write it now and send the letters when it was safe. Having the words on paper helped him sleep a little better on the third night.


	2. Day 270

Three months ago, the FBI cleared Lisbon of any wrongdoing. She was shocked but relieved to get on with her life. Two months ago, she moved to Washington state to be the Chief of Police in the world’s most boring town. Focusing on petty crimes instead of being chased by murderous shadow organizations was a more than welcome change of pace. Though, the most interesting thing to happen to her recently happened about a month ago.

A month ago, she received a letter from him. Rather, she received a letter from Sam Barsocky. Of course, Jane would figure out a system to communicate with her. He was always crafty like that. Like clockwork, the envelopes containing several letters came twice a week. Sometimes, they came with little trinkets like a nice shell that he’d discovered along whatever beach he lived near. She loved that he thought of her enough to send these.

She wanted to write him back, but she couldn’t. Even though she’d been cleared of wrongdoing, the FBI was still in hot pursuit of Jane. They’d do whatever they could to track him--and charge her for accessory in the process most likely. Surely, he would understand, but it was hard choosing to once again protect him over following her heart.

She felt loneliness wash over her as she realized that she really wished she was there. How would he know she’d seen his letters? Hearing his words to her without the ability to respond only made the loneliness in her heart deepen. He could make life messy sometimes, but what was life without a little mess?


	3. Day 300

Weeks ago, he started writing to her daily. Sure, there were lots of things to see on the island. There were also a lot of new people to meet...if only his Spanish were better. None of that mattered though. There was something about their long drives in open California country, their shared meals, and their conversations that he just missed. Nothing could compare to that. 

He didn’t know exactly what he expected after Red John was gone. Maybe they’d awkwardly meet for ice cream some time. Maybe she’d tell him about how she was moving up the ladder. He’d always expected their time together would come to an end once they caught Red John, but he never expected to feel loss again. He hoped she got his letters and knew that he was thinking of her--the woman who saved his life--every day.

Perhaps a bit egotistically, he imagined what she looked like tucked away reading his letters in the privacy of her own home. She probably had a little space in the house wherever she called home these days that she dedicated just to reading his letters. Knowing the bad blood that Sacramento held for Teresa Lisbon, he imagined the different places she might go. He thought she might go home to Chicago for a bit, but then, she’d strike out on her own again soon. Wherever she was, he hoped his letters found her well.


	4. Day 325

Three passports ago, she was Teresa Lisbon born in Chicago, Illinois. Today, she’s Tammy Laurels born in Indianapolis, Indiana. She can’t help but be momentarily stunned by the beauty of the place described in Jane’s letters, the words which she had memorized by heart now. It’s truly breathtaking; that wasn’t a lie. As much as it is to take in, it’s nothing compared to when she sees him. 

She spots him walking along the beach. Thankfully, she hadn’t had to rely on her spotty Spanish alone to find him. He’s wearing one of his shirts with some sort of beach sarong. Something about his entire sense of being screams he’s reached true freedom, in spite of what the FBI may have to say about that. Watching him walk along the beach without a care in the world, fear gnaws at her gut as she wonders if she’d made a mistake coming here. Though, she needn’t fear as she makes her way to him, not wanting to call his name and expose him in his new home.

xxxxxxx

He was on one of his afternoon walks when he spotted her. At first, he thought his eyes were seeing what he wanted them to see. He could see Teresa Lisbon standing on his beach, but he wouldn’t believe his eyes until he held her in arms to confirm she was actually there. 

He started to move toward her quickly as she made her way to him. She spoke first. “Hey you!”

She was really here! He grabbed her and wrapped her in a tight embrace. “I...you’re here. I can’t believe you’re here.”

“I am here.” Though neither would ever admit it later, they both cried.

He walked her to his favorite little bar. He introduced her to his favorite food and drink items as they sat there talking and catching up all night. She told him about the resolution of the Red John case, her new gig, and her new nephew. He told her about his travels to reach this island and how he spent most days.

“So when are you leaving?”

He wasn’t sure why he asked that question, especially on the night she arrived. He could have let it breathe, but he wanted to know when he would lose her again. Surely, he’d ruined the evening.

She smiled at him. He sensed the shyness behind her smile, but also quickly picked up on her nervousness. “I’m not.”

He thinks he understood, but he had to make sure. “You’re not going back?”

“No. Not unless you’re already devising a plan to send me away.” She laughed, but it wasn’t a confident laugh. She was afraid he would reject her and send her away.

“No, I am not devising a plan to send you away. I don’t think I could talk you out of something you truly wanted to do. But what about your new job?”

“Meh. It was boring as fuck. I hated living in rural Washington.”

Now, he laughed. “I could tell as you told me all about your new job. You didn’t exactly seem to love it.” 

“Well, it’s nice to see you’re still sharp.” Once again, she laughed. He loved watching her laugh, especially when it came from true joy. The way she scrunched her face and gave into it was beyond beautiful. She was ethereal. 

“I do, but you want to stay here? I didn’t know you liked island living so much you’d give up everything to live on one, especially this one.” 

Her green eyes looked into his as she responded, indicating she understood what the real question was. “Jane, I want to stay with you...if you would like that.” He could almost hear her heart hammering out of her chest. Or maybe that was his own. He couldn’t really tell what he was reacting to anymore.

It took him a second to respond. Not long enough so that she’d feel uncertain or think she had done or said something wrong, but long enough for him to reign in his emotions well enough that he could at least respond in a coherent whisper. “I’d love that.”

“Yeah?”

He nodded. “Yeah, but are you sure? If you don’t return soon, the FBI will start looking for you, too. The longer you wait, the harder it will be for you to return. And what about your family?”

“The boys all have their own lives now. I called each of them before I left. They understood. I know how to reach them.”

“And the FBI?”

“What about them?”

He shrugged as he tapped her hand. “Touche.”

She placed one of her fingers on top of the hand that had tapped hers, holding it there. “Is it ok with you if I stay? I don’t want to impose on your new found freedom.”

He flashed her a smile. “Do you know why they called it ‘The Summer of Love’?”

“No.”

“Because there’s no freedom without love.” He was afraid that had been a bit forward..until she flashed him a smile that nearly ate her entire face. He was eager to return the smile.

“Cute, but I’m pretty sure you made that up.”

“It’s possible, but it worked.” It was getting a bit late. Not that he hadn’t noticed before, but she still had her bag. As she came to him, on his island, he realized she likely had nowhere to sleep tonight. His place was tiny, but suitable for his needs. It could be suitable for her needs, too. “Where are you staying?”

Her eyebrows shot up. She clearly hadn’t thought about that part until now. “I think I will check into the hotel if they have a room.”

He put his hand up. “Nonsense. If you haven’t already gotten a room, you can just stay with me. My place is small, but it works.”

“Oh ok. Well, are you sure? If it’s small, there might not be space for both of us.”

“It’s small, but also, don’t eat away your cash in hotel fees. Remember: you’re living off of the land now.” He stood to pay for their items. After paying, he extended his hand for her bag, which she handed him after a really weird look. As they arrived at his place, he turned on the light. 

“Wow. You weren’t kidding. It is...cozy.”

“Cozy is a nice way to put it. You can take the bed. I’ll sleep in the chair.”

She knitted her eyebrows. “Seriously? That can’t be comfortable. And weren’t you the one who once told me ‘there’s room for two up here’?”

He laughed. “Ok, I wasn’t quite in my right mind at the time. And if I remember correctly, I almost caught a bullet for that.”

She feigned outrage. “Quite in your right mind?”

“It’s late and we’ve had some drinks. Maybe we don’t interrogate and unpack my word choice tonight?” 

She shrugged her shoulders. “If your back hurts in the morning, I don’t want to hear it.”

Well, she was right. Trying to sleep in that chair was pure misery, even if watching Teresa Lisbon sleeping in his bed was quite the sight. At some point during the night, he joined her in his bed. If she was staying there with him, he supposed it was their bed now.


	5. Day 328

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beware of smut near the end of this chapter!

Waking up to the sun shine creeping in from the shades on the windows, hitting the natural highlights of her hair, as she slept peacefully was a sight to behold. While she’d chosen to stay with him, he knew that a few things were true. First, she might choose to return after a week or so. Maybe this little adventure would be too much for her to actually process and commit to. Not doing the right thing would eventually weigh on her. Second, he didn’t know exactly what they were doing.

The second thought hit him hardest. For years, they’d been flirtatious. After he spent months missing her and writing to her, she sought him out. He knew how determined she was; she wasn’t going to flake on him or anyone else once she’d made her mind up. As he reflexively reached his hand out to stroke her hair, he thought of how much he’d like to touch her, to really get to know her. But he had a gnawing fear. What if that’s not what she had in mind at all when she decided to stay here? Instead of making a fool of himself, he got up and readied himself for the day.

They’d spent most of the day on the beach. As she’d only been there for a few days, she was still taking the time to relax. So after their morning walk, she planted herself in the sand with a book. He joined her for a while before deciding to make his trek to his favorite local spots. He gave her all the time she needed to do whatever she liked doing, while he took the opportunity to do the same. Really, it’s what healthy relationships were built upon.

By dinner time, they regrouped. They wanted to check out the hotel’s restaurant tonight. It was a little nicer than his solo tastes, but she’d convinced him to try it especially when she heard there was dancing nearby. When he saw her emerge from the bathroom wearing an emerald green dress that fell off of her shoulders that accentuated the softness of her breasts with a flowy skirt that fell to just above her knees, he was glad he’d let her convince him.

“What? I thought you said this was a nice restaurant?” She’d caught him staring.

“It is…it’s just, um, you look nice.”

She wrinkled her eyebrows at his confession. “Ok, thanks I guess.” It hadn’t been the compliment she hoped to receive.

“No, you don’t look nice. You look great. That’s a very nice dress.” As he noted her smile as she flattened her hair down, he realized he landed the compliment that time. She had worn this dress for him. 

“Thanks. I’m glad you like it.” A part of him wanted to tease her and ask her what she meant by what she’d just said, while the rest of him contemplated telling her how beautiful she was and removing the dress itself. Nah, he was better than that. It didn’t stop the thoughts that he had until she asked if he was ready to leave.

xxxxxxx

Dinner was nice. He hadn’t lied; this was perhaps the fanciest spot on this island. It was definitely a tourist getaway. That much was clear. After dinner, he indulged her in dancing for a bit. The club near the restaurant was a nice place. She didn’t think he’d be as receptive to dancing, but by their second dance, it was clear that it was just another hidden skill he possessed as he twirled her around the floor. It was possible his skills put hers to shame, but she didn’t care. She was having a ball!

Both of them were getting tired, so they decided to walk home. It was funny how in the months she’d spent in Washington, she still couldn’t call it home. However, it took her just a few days to call this cozy little spot where she shared a bed with Jane home.

She wasn’t sure if he sensed that her feet were starting to ache as he extended his elbow to her, but she took it anyway. It was a lovely gesture. Besides, it was starting to rain, so at least she was less likely to slip, trip, fall, and break something on the slippery cobblestones. “So what did you think?”

“Great food! Thanks for indulging me with the dancing.”

“It was my pleasure.”

“Never pictured you as such a good dancer though.”

The rain fell a bit harder. She wished she’d had the foresight to bring her umbrella with her. “Teresa, I can guarantee that there are a lot of things you don’t know about me.”

She stopped him as she looked up into his eyes with a slight smile on her face. Maybe it was the drinking or the dancing, but she was in such a state of euphoria that made her feel invincible. “Like what? Like how much time you spend wondering if I’d push you away if you tried to touch me?” 

Oh she had definitely caught him! Maybe this conversation would’ve been best out of the rain though. “What?”

“Hmm? Oh, just me reading you.”

He looked into her eyes as he placed his hand on her jawline. At this rate, they’d be soaked through to the bone by the time they got home. “So what if it’s true? What if I said that every morning I look at you and wonder if I’d be making a fool of myself by stroking your hair, kissing you awake, sliding my hands up your thighs, running my hands all over you, inside of you...what would you say?”

Admittedly, she was blushing from both the context of his words and the heat that was building inside of her from hearing him say those things. They were expert level players in this game, and this is where the game was always leading them. “I guess I’d wonder why you think you’re making a fool of yourself by touching a woman who told you she wants to spend the rest of her life with you and willingly shares a bed with you.”

He shrugged. “Fair enough.” He reached in, and she met him, for a kiss. Wrapping his arms around her, she could feel his tongue licking her lips. Without protest, she opened her mouth to him, allowing him to deepen the kiss. Suddenly, she was self-conscious about her dinner choices as they stood here kissing in the rain. As he gripped her bottom, she had no doubts how their night would end. She almost felt like a teenager being out here in the open like this.

She broke their kiss first. “Patrick, let’s go home.”

He extended his arm to her again. She took it, leaning in on his side, as they made their way home. No sooner than he’d closed the door, he kissed her once again. Without the shyness that came with testing the waters of the first kiss, this one was filled with desire and pure passion as he pinned her against the door.

He broke their kiss first this time. Leaning his forehead against hers, he spoke. “Do you think we should get out of these wet clothes?”

The unasked question was heavy in the air. “I’d be ok with that. You?”

“Yep.”

He moved away from her just a few inches, barely breaking their contact, and began to undress. She did the same, but as she went to kick off her heels, he stopped her. “Wait. I’ll take care of those, if that’s ok.”

“Perfectly fine. I just don’t want you messing up my good dress.”

He laughed, as he reached out to tuck one of her damp strands of hair behind her ear. “As if I would ruin your finery!”

Once she was down to her underwear, for which she was glad she’d actually managed to wear a matching set today, he was back on her. It was like he was waiting to strike as he wrapped her in his arms and kissed her once more, this time their barely clothed bodies pressed against each other tightly.

As his hand hit her hip bone, she moaned into his mouth. He broke once again. “Bed?”

She nodded as he took her hand and led them to their bed. He stepped behind her, kissing her neck. She brought her hand to his upper arm as she felt her bra loosen and fall to the ground, his hand quickly replacing the lost support under her breasts. He continued kissing her neck as he palmed her breasts, flicking her nipples with his thumb. He made her moan again. She’d never been one to make a show out of this, especially for men who simply weren’t skilled, but he lit her on fire as her head started to feel lighter.

He whispered into her ear. “Can you lie on the bed for me?” She hated laying on her back all night. She would much rather lead the action. Of course, he sensed her dilemma at not wanting to displease a new lover and doing what she liked. “Just for a few minutes, so I can take your shoes off?”

She didn’t trust her words. She nodded and climbed onto their bed, getting onto her back and propping herself up on her elbows. Running his hands down the length of her legs, he began to work on the straps of her sandals. Getting the left one off first, he kissed her ankle as he massaged her foot, eliciting a giggle from her.

“You go through so much trouble to look nice for me and end up with sore feet. It’s the least I could do, really.” He made quick work of her other shoe as well before coming to lie next to her and quickly meeting her lips again.

He palmed her breasts again, one at a time, but this time, he replaced his hand with his mouth as he ran his hand down her belly and under the band of her panties. As his hand hit its target, she gasped as he began to stroke her.

“Please.” She slid her hand under the band of his boxer briefs and took him into her hand, massaging his penis as it hardened under her touch.

“So eager.” He stopped his ministrations for a moment. “Teresa, I, um, I don’t have any condoms. I can get some tomorrow. We could finish this other ways if you’d like.”

Considerate of him to mention it. She had never been the best at taking birth control and it wasn’t like she’d expected to have a local pharmacy to get her monthly pack, so she hadn’t exactly been prepared either. “No, it’s okay.”

He kissed her once more, continuing to caress her, dipping his fingers into her. He started to grind his hips against hers. “In that case, I’d like it very much if you were on top of me right now. Would you like that?”

She grinned at him. “Yeah.”

“I knew you would.” 

He grabbed the band of her panties and pulled them down her thighs. She twisted, grabbing them and tossing them onto the floor. As she shifted, he pulled his own boxers off.

She palmed his erect penis, which got a gasp from him. She just kissed him once more as she guided him to her entrance and slid down onto him. They were still for a moment as he slid his hand to her ass and she started to ride him. Not that she could think much of it now, but it was nice that he played to the part of her that liked to be in control.

She ground her hips into his as he met her with his own thrusts. She ran her hands over his perfectly chiseled chest. Perhaps that had been the biggest surprise of the evening. She’d be sure to ask him about that tomorrow.

With his other hand, he brought it up to grip her hair. He pushed her head down toward him, capturing her lips once again and making her hips grind more erratically into his thrust. As her nipples scraped against his chest hair, it was almost enough to bring her over the edge. But then, the hand that was on her hair slid to her neck where he applied a little pressure. Nothing that made her feel unsafe or in danger, but enough pressure that it felt pleasant as he tightened the grip on her ass and increased the pace of his thrusts.

It felt so good as she felt the pressure building and his constant contact in just the right places. She felt her own movements getting less precise and wilder. The hand that tightly held her ass moved to stroke her clitoris once more. She didn’t know how many more strokes he got in as she hit her peak. She moaned loudly as she ground wildly and clenched around his penis. A few seconds later, she felt him follow her with a moan of his own. She felt the burst of wetness erupt at her entrance.

They laid like that for a bit longer kissing and resting their foreheads on each other, until she laid down at his side, placing her head on his shoulder. She felt her thighs growing increasingly sticky as he stroked her hair and placed ginger kisses on her lips infrequently.

“I have to pee.” She hopped up and went to the bathroom. She could tell he watched her naked body as she crossed the room, but she didn’t mind.

The next morning, she woke to him stroking her hair in the morning light. She kissed him, and it was time to do their little dance again. That day, they created a new normal routine.


	6. Day 538

Their morning started out as they usually did these days: morning sex. This morning, it happened in the shower...after the bed. He’d learned early on that they both liked shower sex given the right conditions, and their shower definitely provided the right conditions.

That was how he found himself making love to her this morning. She’d been particularly frisky the past few weeks, encouraging his more primal urges. Her encouragement led to him pounding into her from behind as she bent forward slightly and braced herself on her arm against the wall with her leg hiked up on the soap dish. He’d been meaning to broach that subject with her, but he never seemed to manage to find a good time.

After they finished their showertime adventure, he washed her hair. This brought him a thrill almost as good as the sex. Almost. It was an act of intimacy that they shared, and he loved every minute of it.

They dressed for the day. “Babe, does my dress look tight?”

He smiled at her. “No, you look absolutely beautiful as always.” 

She was absolutely glowing as she frowned, rubbing her hands across the tight fabric over her abdomen. “I’ve gotta stop eating so many carbs. No matter how much running I get in I can’t combat this bloat.”

“Well, I guess we better get going for our morning walk because we’ve got dinner reservations tonight at the hotel.”

“Ok, fine. I do have a taste for hallaca and maybe some plantains and black beans. But you’re buying me new clothes when nothing else fits anymore.” He could hear her grumble, but he chuckled softly. He waited for her to catch on and tell him, but perhaps he’d have to make time to broach that subject later, even though he had another conversation in mind for today.

They took their walk along the beach before settling in at the bar for the day. The bar had become their makeshift office as they started their private investigation business a few months back. They both had skills that they shouldn’t let go to waste. And after a while, they decided they might like to make money again. Relocation was never far from his mind, so he knew they’d need the cash on hand should they decide to move on.

Today was a slow day, as some days were, so they sat there reading most of the day. He never knew that she enjoyed reading so much, but she told him that it was because she never had time to read before. Now, she practically read whatever she got her hands on. Maybe he could just get her a book instead of telling her.

A week after she arrived, he decided that he would ask her to marry him. They were basically already married, but she deserved more than a “basically married.” Four months ago, he took off his wedding ring. Once, one of the older women asked why he wore his ring but she didn’t wear hers. Teresa just laughed awkwardly, and the woman just assumed that they couldn’t afford a nice enough ring for her. After that, he decided he wouldn’t wear the ring anymore and put it away for safekeeping. Angela, and Charlotte, were always a part of him, but it wasn’t fair to Teresa to live in that shadow. She was his present and his future. He just couldn’t figure out the right time to ask the question, but their changing situation made him see there was no time like now.

At dinner, he shook the entire time. He wasn’t sure why asking her to marry him made him so nervous when she’d already given up her life to be with him. He could barely eat his dinner, which didn’t seem to be a problem as she cleared both her plate and his. He just enjoyed how happy she looked in this moment.

“I hope you still have room for ice cream.” 

“You know I do!” Ice cream had always been their thing, which is why he organized the perfect sundae in advance.

As the waiter placed her ice cream in front of her, she blinked rapidly as her brows furrowed in confusion. “Where’s the ice cream?” Her cup held two cherries tied together like a heart. Ok, that was a bit sappy for him, but Mario said it would be wonderful. 

In her confusion, that was all the time that it took for him to get down on one knee with the other sundae--the one with the emerald ring sticking out of it--in his hands. “Because I love you, I thought we might share this one for the rest of our lives.”

She inhaled sharply as she registered what was happening. She placed her hand over her mouth as she started to cry. “Will you marry me?”

“Of course, I’ll marry you!” She wiped the corners of her eyes as she hugged him and kissed him. Hearing her say the words put all of his insecurities to rest. Knowing every one of his deepest, darkest secrets, she loved him anyway. She chose him.

Once they got home, he cleaned the ring and slid it onto her ring finger. That made her start crying for the third time that night as she also cried on her way home. Right. That talk.

He slid his hand along her jaw, caressing her cheek and looking into her eyes. “You know I asked you to marry me because I love you, right?”

“And I said yes because I love you.”

“Ok, I just needed you to know that before I said this.”

“Said what?”

“Sweetheart, I think you’re pregnant.”

She laughed. “Don’t be ridiculous.” 

He just looked at her sternly. “I’m not. Just think about it for a second: this morning when you thought your dress didn’t fit and you cried three times tonight. You’ve been like this for a few months.”

Realization struck her like a brick as her eyes went wide and her hand went to her belly. “A baby? Really?” 

He just nodded as he took her into his arms. “Well, I’m no doctor, but if I had to guess, it might be a good idea for us to see one.”


	7. Day 550

When she thought about how short their engagement had been, she laughed. Two weeks. With no friends or family around to celebrate with them, they decided not to prolong the engagement.

Six days ago, the doctor confirmed what he knew already: she was pregnant. From what they could tell, she was at least three months along. He started mentioning moving to another place, but honestly, she’d fallen in love with the island. Their options would always be limited because at least one of them was listed on the FBI’s Most Wanted List.

In the seven months she’d lived on the island, she’d attended mass at the cathedral. She hadn’t been religious in years, not since her mother died. She still wasn’t, but it was something that reminded her of home and being Teresa Lisbon. She’d practiced using her Spanish around the island, but she got the best practice speaking to Father Juan at the cathedral. He knew her darkest secrets. He knew who they were: two Americans hiding from the law. He agreed to marry them anyway.

She found a nice cream colored dress to wear with lace sleeves that fell just beneath her knees. Patrick found, well borrowed, a navy blue suit from their friend Mario. 

“Hopefully, today goes pretty well. You look gorgeous. I just hope I don’t get struck by lightning or something. I hear your God can be pretty upset with those who don’t believe in him.”

She rolled her eyes. “Patrick…”

He kissed her head. “It’s important to you. I’ll do it.” Using their real names and exchanging the bands they bought from a local jeweler, they stood in the sanctuary and said their vows that day before a few witnesses who happened to be dropping by the church.

“Ahora, los declaro marido y mujer.” Husband and wife. They were now husband and wife, a unit, a team--just like they’d always been. Only now that meant something a little differently. 

That night, they celebrated with a nice dinner. Later that night, her husband showed his appreciation to his wife by burying his head between her thighs as he pumped his fingers in and out of her. After, they cuddled together in their bed with his hand on the pouch developing in her abdomen. A family.


	8. Day 865

About a month after the wedding, they moved into a proper cottage, one that had space for them plus their baby. He’d wanted to leave the island, but she thought they should stay. It felt like home, and they kept things lowkey. Being away from medical facilities scared him, but she seemed ok with it.

Their daughter, Violet, turned five months old today. He’d snapped a photo of her with her mommy for the baby book. Since they couldn’t exactly do the digital thing, they were keeping it traditional to track their memories. He couldn’t believe how much she’d grown already. He’d fallen in love with the baby girl with her mother’s hair and his eyes the moment the doctor placed her in his arms. Recently, Teresa had taken to scolding him for spoiling her, but he couldn’t help himself. Violet was his little girl.

He couldn’t believe he had a second chance at a family. As much as he loved Teresa and their little Violet, he couldn’t help but think about Angela and Charlotte sometimes. Sometimes, Violet’s giggles reminded him of her older sister. The first time he noticed it, he left their cottage and walked to the beach. He cried as he thought of Charlotte and how she would be starting college this year if he hadn’t gotten her killed. Would she love her baby sister or think that he’d simply replaced her? That night when he got home, Violet giggled once again when she saw him. He picked his little girl up and held her tight as he pulled Teresa into his side and kissed her on her head.

With the anniversary of their deaths approaching, those thoughts kept him awake at night. It had been years since he visited their graves. He knew it was all symbolic, but he couldn’t help but wonder if it was true that they were somewhere watching him. Being awake at night wasn’t the worst thing because as soon as Violet started to cry, he shot up out of the bed. He let Teresa rest while he changed their baby girl and rocked her back to sleep. He loved them both so much, but he couldn’t forget Angela and Charlotte. He hoped that if they were watching that they weren’t angry. He hoped they were at peace.

He slid back into bed next to Teresa. She must have felt the disturbance as she turned over to face him and laid her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her.

“You know, we should light some candles for them.”

“Hmm?”

“I know you don’t do religious stuff, but the anniversary is coming up. You can’t visit their graves, but you could do something for their memory. I know that’s what’s keeping you up at night.” He blinked rapidly before looking down at his wife. She was looking up at him.

“I...didn’t know that you knew I wasn’t sleeping. I’m...I’m sorry. It’s not what you think.”

“You have nothing to apologize for.” She propped herself up on her elbows. “Did you think I’d be upset that you were thinking about Angela and Charlotte?”

He tried to swallow, but his throat was very dry. “I wasn’t sure. I just never want you to think you and Violet aren’t the most important people to me. I love you.”

“Honey, part of loving you is knowing your past. It’s a part of our story. I don’t think that you love us any less when you think of them. They’re your family, too. When Violet is older, we will introduce her to her family. You’ve never neglected them, and you’ve never neglected us. It’s not a contest.”

He pulled her down onto his chest and wrapped both of his arms around her. Neither of them spoke another word that night, but for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out what he’d ever done to deserve this kind of love.


	9. Day 1825 (and Beyond)

Five years he’d been on this island. She’d arrived here nearly four years ago. In that time, she couldn’t believe the ways her life had changed. Giving up being a cop was hard for her, as evidenced by her foray into private investigation and security work on the island, but it was nothing compared to the terror that came crashing down on her at the thought of losing him and their family.

Today, PJ woke up with a fever. Patrick agreed to stay with him while she took Violet and the twins to the beach for some playtime. Violet was just a little over 3 years old now. PJ, their second born and the one who looked the most like his father with those golden curls, was 18 months old. Maddie and Finn were 6 months old. Before becoming a mother herself, she would’ve looked at a woman with four children under the age of five years old as the very definition of insanity. But having a husband who was an attentive, doting father and a lot of flexible time definitely made a difference. They raised their kids as a team.

As Violet tried, and eventually failed to make a sandcastle as elegant as the one daddy would have helped her make, she played with the twins. She could hardly believe that she was raising a gaggle of beach bums! For not the first time, she wondered how her brothers were doing. Annie would be in college now. Surely, Stan and Jimmy had more babies as well. She prayed that they were all well. She also wondered how her kids would react to their cousins.

As she gave the kids their snacks, she saw him. She should’ve sensed him approaching, but she was too busy making sure Finn didn’t put his fist full of sand into his sister’s face. She’d already determined that twins--especially those with a Jane and Lisbon genetic makeup--would be a special challenge.

“Lisbon.” She would’ve known the voice anywhere. Though, she looked up to confirm her suspicions.

“Cho.”

He stood there awkwardly for a moment as she stood up, tying her swimsuit cover around her. Losing contact with her made Maddie start to fuss, so she picked her up and held her. “How’s it going?”

She shook her head. “Fine. What are you doing here?” 

“I’m sorry to do this, but I’m here to bring Jane back.”

“Bring Jane back?”

“Yeah.”

“We both know there’s no extradition treaty here.”

“I know. That’s why we thought it would be best that I approach you and calmly talk to you first.” She noticed Dennis Abbott approaching. Obviously, he was eager to join the conversation.

“Mama! Look!” She looked down to where Violet was still working hard at her sandcastle.

“That’s gorgeous, baby. Mama is talking to her friend right now, ok?”

“All of these are yours?”

“And Jane’s. He’s at home with our oldest son, PJ. He’s sick.” Cho just nodded. Though he didn’t notice, she scrunched her face in distaste after saying that. Calling Patrick by his last name felt funny. She hadn’t done that in years, and technically, she and the three kids were also Janes.

“Teresa, you have a beautiful family. Nice ring. I’m sure your husband is a lucky man.” She just glared at him. He should’ve just let Cho do the talking.

“What do you want?” She rolled her eyes at him. 

Cho looked to Abbott to continue speaking. “We have a deal in place for Jane. We’d like to bring him in to work as a consultant for the FBI. He’s got a special skill set we could use.”

“So after five years you just come looking for a consultant?”

She didn’t miss the way Abbott glared at Cho before speaking. “The deal would’ve been here sooner if we’d known how to find you.”

Cho didn’t say a word, but she knew what he’d done. He’d known how to find them, but he refused to tell the FBI. Abbott had to figure it out on his own. Dragging Cho down here was part of his penance. Of course Cho maintained his loyalty even when he didn’t have to--some things never changed.

“So what about me? What am I being charged with?”

Abbott raised his eyebrows. “You? You’re not being charged with anything, unless there’s something you need to confess. Since you left the US on your proper passport, and citizens are free to travel wherever, we can forget about the fake passport business. I’m offering you a job with the FBI.”

She blinked rapidly. “I’m sorry. What?”

“I’d like to bring you on as an agent on my team. I know you’re a little out of practice, but I have approval for the hire. You’ll need to complete a physical and your firearms recertification.”

She laughed. “And what’s the catch?”

“For the next five years, Jane works as my consultant. You’ll help keep him reigned in. We will make the charges go away and we’ll get everything fixed for the kids. I don’t imagine you’ve registered their birth with USCIS? We can take care of all of it.”

“What about pay?”

“You’ll both be paid according to the appropriate pay grade.” She narrowed her eyes at him. Surely, there was a catch here.

She heard a whimper, and she looked down to see Violet getting upset over her sandcastle starting to slide over. “Mama, it doesn’t work like when daddy does it.”

“Oh sweetie, I know. Daddy makes magic sandcastles. Why don’t you help mama get packed up? We’re going to go see daddy and PJ now.”

She folded the blanket while her three year old daughter made a game out of dumping all of her toys into her bag. She had a lot of her father in her, that was for sure.

Returning her attention to the adults after she had the twins in their carrier, she spoke to them again. “Follow me.”

They made the trek back to their cottage. Violet was very interested in mommy’s new friends. She grabbed Cho’s hand at one point. He looked down at the little girl and just let her hold his hand as they walked along the beach to their house. It made her smile because it was cute how she immediately identified Cho as a good, safe person. She had a good instinct about her, even though she reminded herself they needed to do a lot more stranger danger education with her. 

“Hey honey, we’re back! We have visitors.” She called out as soon as she got into the cottage and ushered the others inside. She was careful not to make too much noise in case PJ was sleeping. 

“Visit--” Her husband stopped dead in his tracks when he saw who the visitors were. “What are you guys doing here?”

The room was incredibly tense. It was one thing for them to approach a former colleague on the beach. It was another thing to enter a wanted man’s home. With all of the innocence of a toddler, Violet broke the tension as she pulled on Cho’s hand. “Hey Mr. Cho, my daddy made me a unicorn. Do you want to see it?”

“No, sweetie, our guests won’t be staying long. Why don’t you go watch the princess movie?” Her face lit up. She loved watching the dubbed copy of Cinderella that he’d found for her. She cried when she started noticing things like her hair didn’t match the princess. They’d assured her that night that she had mommy’s hair and she could be a princess, too.

“Patrick, hear him out first.”

With that, Abbott got to talking. He repeated everything he told her on the beach. Patrick would have a plea deal, she’d have a job, and the kids would get their citizenship status fixed. She waited for Patrick to figure out what holes there were in the plan. He quizzed them like she had, but also came up with the same answers.

“So we agree to work--no, basically be servants at your beck and call--for five years, and you will call everything good?”

Abbott waved his hand. “No, you will be at my beck and call. Teresa can take the job offer or leave it. I just know that if I had a beautiful family like yours, I’d do everything possible to keep them together and provide a good life for them.”

She saw her husband narrow his eyes. “And we would still work together if Teresa accepted the job?”

“Please. I would put no one else in charge of handling you.”

She met his eyes. He was considering it, but she could tell he was also still trying to work through the downsides of the deal. “How long is this offer good for?”

Abbott smiled. “Until we leave this island tomorrow at noon. I know we can’t extradite you from here, but we will be watching you. As soon as you set foot on some land that has an extradition treaty in place, even if it’s for ten seconds, you will be arrested. I’m offering you a chance at real freedom here--and a chance to keep your family with you.”

“You understand I can’t just accept or decline. We have to discuss this. We make decisions as a unit.”

Abbott and Cho both nodded. Abbott turned to look at her. “Teresa, evaluate my offer. You know it doesn’t get any better than this. You don’t want your husband looking over his back for the rest of his life. We can help get you set up in housing and find childcare in Austin. We’d love to have both of you on our team. I’m going to head back to my hotel. Let me know what you decide.”

They both nodded at him. Cho stayed behind. “Would you like something to drink?”

“No, thanks. I just wanted to say I’m sorry. I didn’t say anything. He figured out your mailing system on his own.”

“Don’t worry about it, Cho.” Patrick shrugged. “Is this offer for real?”

“Yeah. Listen, he’s not going to say it because I think it’s against his principles, but most everyone thinks what you did is a public service. It was a little too public so you have to account for that. He’s been looking since you left. When Lisbon left, he tried hard to find her. I didn’t tell him about the letters or the other contacts.”

Patrick shook his head, as she looked at the twins who were out cold. “How did you know about the letters?”

“He was one of the people I told I was leaving. I told him, and Rigsby and Van Pelt. I couldn’t just leave them never to hear from me again. We met for dinner one night in San Francisco, and I hinted that I’d be leaving. They all told me to come find you. It’s where my happiness was.”

Patrick nodded. She’d never told him that part of her exit story, nor did he ask. He looked at Cho. “Sit down. Let’s catch up. You sure you don’t want a beer. You’re not US soil…”

With that last temptation, Cho gave in. They talked for a long while, taking turns tending to the kids, and catching up with an old friend. After he left, they discussed the offer for just a little while longer. The kids were growing up fast, and she missed her family. None of them had ever met the kids. Besides, they still had ties back home. It was a no-brainer really. The next day, they gathered up the kids and what they could--including their baby books--and joined Cho and Abbott on that flight back to the US.

Once they arrived, they called a lawyer and took a look at the FBI’s deal for Patrick. It was exactly what Abbott had said. He signed the deal and became a consultant the very next day. Abbott told her she could take time and decide whether she wanted back in, but that was also a no brainer. She missed police work. Once they got the kids situated in child care, she joined her husband at the FBI. 

Almost as soon as they arrived and got new phones, they got a ton of messages from Rigsby and Van Pelt. Apparently, Cho had told them they were back. They planned to come out soon to visit and introduce their little ones to hers. She got a hold of her brothers and Annie. They were all glad she was back. Her brothers agreed to Thanksgiving in Austin this year. 

Strangely enough, Annie had enrolled at the University of Texas, so she was local. Annie was at their house within the hour to meet her little cousins. Violet absolutely loved her. More specifically, she loved it when Annie introduced her to the other princess movie, the one where she wore the yellow dress and had hair like theirs. She kept talking about the yellow dress, and the same night Patrick started looking for Beauty and the Beast things for Violet. Getting him to stop spoiling the kids was a hopeless case and getting even more hopeless now that they had regular incomes again!

Later, Patrick told her that he’d called Madeleine Hightower. One regret he had in hiding was that he had not called her to tell her it was done, and he didn’t know where to send her letter. Now that he was able to call her, he let her know that it was done. He also told her he’d like to introduce her to Madeleine Jane when she was available. She wished she’d been on that call.

It took time to get settled in, but once they hit their stride again, it was like they’d never left. They just gained a lot of happiness along the way. Their story might’ve started in the darkness, but that definitely wasn’t where it ended.


End file.
